Made-up menus featuring classic Christmas roast and pudding were how some of Australia’s troops spent the festive season longing for home during war.
Through artwork and food menus created by the nation’s servicemen and women, the Australian War Memorial has shed light on how defence force personnel spent Christmas in times of conflict.
Christmas menus from both world wars, which have been donated to the memorial, have captured the touching and sad experiences.
While some menus are accurate records of what some troops ate for Christmas lunch, others have been made up by hungry prisoners of war dreaming of a warm meal.
The menus show the classic roast with vegetables, plus pudding for dessert, were popular festive meals 100 years ago.
Historian Rachel Caines said the menus illustrated the humanity of the men and women who wanted to celebrate Christmas the same way they would with loved ones and friends.
“It’s a lovely reminder these people are just like us and it’s an insight into some of the Christmas experiences at war,” she said.
“People from previous times can seem like black and white figures, they don’t seem real, but something wonderful about these is they allow people to relate and empathise with them.”
Many Australians serving in both world wars had not yet returned home for Christmas in 1918 and 1945, despite the end of the conflicts.
Curator of Art Lara Nicholls described illustrations, sketches and cartoons created by troops who served in the First World War, and up to Afghanistan, as moving.
“They’re all diverse and shows everyone has their own response to being on the frontline,” she said.
“Wars don’t stop for Christmas.”
Ms Nicholls said some artwork reflected Australian humour, while others showed loneliness in a conflict zone.
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